Capital Projects

Capital projects are identified in the Council Strategic Priorities and budgeted for within the District of Sicamous Five-Year Financial Plan. 

The Shuswap Healing Centre is a facility for the community to access physical, mental, and other health services. Here, the Sicamous Community Health Centre (formerly the Sicamous Medical Clinic) and other allied health professionals will be housed within one building. Working in collaboration with Splatsin, physical, mental and health supports will be available to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous citizens within the region. 

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Council has established housing as one of its strategic priority areas and is committed to measures that will help increase affordable and attainable housing options in Sicamous. This includes building relationships with housing partners and providing land for affordable and attainable housing.

 

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Wastewater treatment facility upgrades will ensure compliance with environmental regulatory requirements and accommodate future development and population growth. The project is in its infancy with $50,000 budgeted for planning in 2024. The cost to modernize the facility will be substantial; funding sources are being explored and long-term borrowing will likely be required.

In April, the Wastewater Facility Working Group was established to consider infrastructure, upgrades, capital considerations and new technology. The working group includes council members and select staff. Councillors appointed to this working group include Pam Beech and Bob Evans. 

The District of Sicamous is getting a pump track at Finlayson Park! Construction is set to begin in the spring of 2024. A pump track is a purpose-built track for cycling. Pump tracks feature a circuit of rollers and riders generate momentum by "pumping" up and down instead of pedaling or pushing. Trees were removed in early 2024 to prepare the site for construction which is expected to take three to four weeks to complete.

If you can believe it, the existing water infrastructure is over 50 years old! From Kappel Street to Martin Street, fire flow will be increased by replacing the aging water main from 6” line to 10”. Following the water main replacement and upgrade, the roadway will be reconstructed and the sidewalk on the west side will be repaved. The project, expected to begin in the summer/fall of 2024, is funded by capital reserves and development contributions.

The project is currently being tendered. Learn more!

Proposed trail network for the Owlhead Bike Park.
Proposed trail network for the Owlhead Bike Park.

The District of Sicamous continues to pursue the development of a mountain bike trail on the  Owlhead Trailhead. The District is working through the application process with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FNRORD) for the construction or maintenance of trails or recreation facilities on Crown Land. Pending approvals, construction is targeted for 2024. 

A  study is being completed to determine the feasibility of constructing an active transportation crossing (pedestrian bridge) over the Sicamous Narrows to connect the west side of the channel to Main Street Landing and the downtown core. In 2023, the district received $50,000 through the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund to complete the study. 

Location of the Finlayson Boat Launch located next to the Sicamous Beach Park.
Location of the Finlayson Boat Launch located next to the Sicamous Beach Park.

UPDATE: April 24, 2023

The District of Sicamous has completed a detailed design and is currently working toward provincial approvals for the Finlayson Boat Launch upgrades. The project requires working closely with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure regarding the R.W. Bruhn Bridge Project which is currently in the detailed design phase.

ORIGINAL:

In October 2021, the District received approval from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to proceed with the first phase of Finlayson Boat Launch Upgrades. Phase one of work, completed in November, included the removal of the federated wooden boat ramp, removal and profiling of the existing Gordon Mackie Square, and necessary in-stream works. The next phase will involve collaboration with stakeholders to identify critical elements necessary for achieving a detailed design. The design will then be submitted for permit approvals to begin the construction process. The project is being funded by District reserves which will be phased over several years.

Community Bio-Heat Facility

The $1.7 Million Community Bio-Heat Facility was fully commissioned in October 2023. Located at 510 Thomsen Place, the facility includes a biomass boiler heating system and boiler house, repurposing wood waste into fuel and providing thermal heat to buildings within the Sicamous Industrial Park. The district received $1.5 million in grant funding to complete the project.

Kappel Street West Watermain Replacement

The Kappel Street (West) Watermain Replacement project was completed in September 2023. The project entailed replacing the old water main which was over 60 years old. The project was funded using capital reserves and development contributions.

Kerr Road Culverts Replacement

The Kerr Road Culverts Replacement (Owlhead Creek) was completed in August of 2023. 

Learn about the R.W. Bruhn Bridge Project

The Province of British Columbia has committed to the replacement of the R.W. Bruhn Bridge. "The Highway 1 four-laning project includes approximately 1.9 km of Highway 1 four-laning, replacement of the existing R.W. Bruhn Bridge with a new four-lane bridge, and intersection improvements between Old Sicamous Road and Silver Sands Road." (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)

RW Bruhn Bridge Replacement/Highway 1 Improvements